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Tag: ashok gehlot

  • BJP slams Gehlot over his rape law remarks, brings up Rajasthan’s poor record on women safety

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The BJP on Sunday slammed Ashok Gehlot for his rape law remarks and said that the Rajasthan chief minister is trying to hide his government’s failures to curb rising incidents of atrocities against innocent girls in the state.

    Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the chief minister’s statement is “unfortunate”.

    “In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the centre for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate that the issue is being twisted by making controversial statements to hide their failures,” said Shekhawat.

    Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore said Gehlot’s statement is “unfortunate and shameful”.

    The CM, who also heads the home department, cannot escape the failure of his government in curbing increasing rape cases in the state by making absurd statements, Rathore said.

    Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, chief minister Gehlot said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force.

    “Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend,” Gehlot had said.

    The CM was referring to December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident, which was later called as the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident.

    According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020, Rajasthan has earned the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh.

    Though the state continues to top in rape cases in 2020, the number of such cases (5997) has declined by 11.

    45% in comparison to 2019, the NCRB data shows.

    Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases.

    He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

    Rathore said that in the previous BJP government, a law was made for the provision of capital punishment to those accused of raping a minor.

    Unfortunately, the CM, who has failed to curb the incidents of rape of innocent girls, is now opposing the provision of capital punishment.

    “If you have the courage to bring a resolution against this law in the assembly, then we will give a befitting reply to them,” he said.

    Rathore claimed that 16 incidents of rape are taking place in Rajasthan every day and Gehlot has stated that 48% of rape cases are false.

    By making such statements again and again, the CM is doing an act of encouraging the morale of the brutal rapists instead of breaking them, the BJP leader said.

    Shashikant Sharma, OSD to CM Gehlot, said, “He (Gehlot) had given a statement on rising unemployment, inflation, and increasing crimes, which has been presented in a distorted manner by BJP’s IT cell.”

    Sharing a video of Gehlot, his another OSD Lokesh Sharma said, “Listen and understand. CM Gehlot expressed concern over the increasing trend of murder of rape victims across the country. The form in which he spoke is being made a matter of controversy without any reason. He called it a dangerous trend which is a matter of concern for all.”

    JAIPUR: The BJP on Sunday slammed Ashok Gehlot for his rape law remarks and said that the Rajasthan chief minister is trying to hide his government’s failures to curb rising incidents of atrocities against innocent girls in the state.

    Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the chief minister’s statement is “unfortunate”.

    “In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the centre for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate that the issue is being twisted by making controversial statements to hide their failures,” said Shekhawat.

    Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore said Gehlot’s statement is “unfortunate and shameful”.

    The CM, who also heads the home department, cannot escape the failure of his government in curbing increasing rape cases in the state by making absurd statements, Rathore said.

    Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, chief minister Gehlot said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force.

    “Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend,” Gehlot had said.

    The CM was referring to December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident, which was later called as the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident.

    According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020, Rajasthan has earned the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh.

    Though the state continues to top in rape cases in 2020, the number of such cases (5997) has declined by 11.

    45% in comparison to 2019, the NCRB data shows.

    Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases.

    He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

    Rathore said that in the previous BJP government, a law was made for the provision of capital punishment to those accused of raping a minor.

    Unfortunately, the CM, who has failed to curb the incidents of rape of innocent girls, is now opposing the provision of capital punishment.

    “If you have the courage to bring a resolution against this law in the assembly, then we will give a befitting reply to them,” he said.

    Rathore claimed that 16 incidents of rape are taking place in Rajasthan every day and Gehlot has stated that 48% of rape cases are false.

    By making such statements again and again, the CM is doing an act of encouraging the morale of the brutal rapists instead of breaking them, the BJP leader said.

    Shashikant Sharma, OSD to CM Gehlot, said, “He (Gehlot) had given a statement on rising unemployment, inflation, and increasing crimes, which has been presented in a distorted manner by BJP’s IT cell.”

    Sharing a video of Gehlot, his another OSD Lokesh Sharma said, “Listen and understand. CM Gehlot expressed concern over the increasing trend of murder of rape victims across the country. The form in which he spoke is being made a matter of controversy without any reason. He called it a dangerous trend which is a matter of concern for all.”

  • Mahant Vijaydas death: Mining activities to be stopped in Bharatpur’s Pasopa village

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said instructions have been given by his government to stop all mining activities in Pasopa village of Bharatpur and the land will be transferred to the forest department.

    Gehlot met seers, public representatives and a delegation of villagers from Pasopa and nearby villages at the chief minister’s residence here and assured them that all their demands will be fulfilled.

    In a statement issued on Sunday, the chief minister said keeping in mind the demand of the seers, the government has already given in-principle consent to ban all types of mining in the area, which is of religious importance.

    Despite this, the death of Mahant Vijaydas is unfortunate, he added.

    Das immolated himself earlier this month during a protest against mining activities in the area.

    The chief minister said instructions have been issued by the government to stop all mining activities in the area, adding that the land will be transferred to the forest department.

    He said earlier also, on the demand of seers, the government had closed mines in the area and currently, the process to close 46 mines and shift those elsewhere is on.

    The delegation demanded that the process be completed in two months and the government assured it of positive action within the time frame, the statement said.

    Gehlot said it takes time to convince the villagers whose livelihood is dependent on the mines but still, the work has progressed rapidly.

    The delegation also presented its demands to the chief minister for the protection of the hills of the Brij region and for various development works at Pasopa.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said instructions have been given by his government to stop all mining activities in Pasopa village of Bharatpur and the land will be transferred to the forest department.

    Gehlot met seers, public representatives and a delegation of villagers from Pasopa and nearby villages at the chief minister’s residence here and assured them that all their demands will be fulfilled.

    In a statement issued on Sunday, the chief minister said keeping in mind the demand of the seers, the government has already given in-principle consent to ban all types of mining in the area, which is of religious importance.

    Despite this, the death of Mahant Vijaydas is unfortunate, he added.

    Das immolated himself earlier this month during a protest against mining activities in the area.

    The chief minister said instructions have been issued by the government to stop all mining activities in the area, adding that the land will be transferred to the forest department.

    He said earlier also, on the demand of seers, the government had closed mines in the area and currently, the process to close 46 mines and shift those elsewhere is on.

    The delegation demanded that the process be completed in two months and the government assured it of positive action within the time frame, the statement said.

    Gehlot said it takes time to convince the villagers whose livelihood is dependent on the mines but still, the work has progressed rapidly.

    The delegation also presented its demands to the chief minister for the protection of the hills of the Brij region and for various development works at Pasopa.

  • Udaipur murder meant to spread terror, both accused booked under UAPA: Gehlot

    Official sources said the chief minister has also convened an all-party meeting at his residence at 6 pm on Wednesday over the Udaipur incident.

  • Udaipur murder: Can’t happen until there is link with radical elements at national, international levels, says CM

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said his government has taken a serious view of the gruesome murder of a tailor in Udaipur, asserting such incidents cannot take place without the involvement of radical elements at national and international levels.

    Kanhaiya Lal, the tailor, was on Tuesday murdered by two men who had posted videos online that said they were avenging an insult to Islam.

    The incident triggered stray cases of violence in Udaipur and a curfew was clamped in seven police station areas of the city.

    Mobile Internet services were suspended across all 33 districts of Rajasthan.

    “We are taking the incident very seriously. This is not an ordinary issue and it cannot happen until there is a link with radical elements at the national and international levels. This is what experience says,” Gehlot told reporters in Jodhpur before leaving for Jaipur to chair a law and order review meeting.

    He said the plans, conspiracy of the accused and their links with national or international agencies will be disclosed.

    ALSO READ | Udaipur murder: Home Ministry directs NIA to probe international links in tailor’s beheading

    Terming it as a gruesome incident, the chief minister said the murder of the tailor is highly condemnable. He said the SIT has started its work and the government will be sharing its feedback after a law and order review meeting.

    The Rajasthan Police had announced a special investigation team (SIT) soon after the arrest of the two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, in connection with the murder.

    In a video clip, Akhtari declared that they had “beheaded” the man and went on to threaten Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Indirectly, the assailants also referred to Nupur Sharma, the BJP leader suspended from the party over a remark on Prophet Mohammad.

    Lal was recently arrested by the local police over a post on social media.

    On June 15, while he was on bail, he told police that he was receiving threat calls.

    The local SHO summoned both sides to the police station and settled the matter, an official said.

    After the murder, police suspended an assistant sub-inspector for negligence at that time.

    The assailants entered Lal’s shop in Dhan Mandi posing as customers. As the tailor took measurements Akhtari attacked him with a cleaver, nearly severing his neck.

    The other man shot the brutal murderer with his mobile phone. The men fled from the scene and later uploaded this clip on social media.

    In another video, the alleged assailant said they “beheaded” the tailor and threatened the prime minister for lighting “this fire”.

  • Sachin Pilot hits back over recent attacks by Gehlot camp

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: Former Deputy CM of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has hit back at CM Ashok Gehlot’s camp which has been targeting him over the past week for the political turmoil that took place in the state two years ago.

    Linking the attacks with the recent statement of Rahul Gandhi, Pilot says nobody needs to get too worried about the praise from Rahul Gandhi for his (Pilot) patience. He said that Gehlot is “old, experienced and like his father so he does not take his words otherwise.”

    On Sunday state UDH Minister had attacked Pilot and a day before, CM Gehlot had also indirectly linked Pilot with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the conspiracy to topple his government.   

    After remaining silent for several days Sachin Pilot finally hit back at CM Ashok Gehlot and his supporters who have been targeting him ever since Rahul Gandhi indirectly praised him last week.

    On Monday, Pilot who went on a tour to Tonk said, “Rahul Gandhi while addressing an event in Delhi, had praised my patience level. If a leader like Rahul is appreciating my patience level then I think no one should unnecessarily get disturbed by his statement.”

    Expressing his views on Rajasthan chief minister’s statement, Sachin Pilot further added, “I believe that Rahul Gandhi has praised my patience. In the past, Ashok Gehlot had said many things about me like useless and worthless, However, I don’t take his statements otherwise as he is experienced, senior, and like a father. He speaks but I do not react.”

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remark last week that “Congress party teaches patience”, during which he referred to Sachin Pilot, has triggered fresh controversy between the Gehlot and Pilot camp in Rajasthan over the political turmoil that took  two years back due to the revolt of Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs

    Sharing the experience of his recent ED grilling with party workers at the AICC headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi had said, “The ED officials asked me about the patience with which I answered their questions…I’m in Congress since 2004, patience is inculcated in us and every leader of the party understands this.”

    He then said, “Congress party teaches patience. I am working since 2004, Sachin Pilot is sitting here, Siddaramaiah Ji is here.”

    The former Congress chief’s remarks had triggered speculations over the change of party leadership in Rajasthan. After this, on Saturday, CM Ashok Gehlot had targeted Sachin Pilot along with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the revolt two years ago to bring down his government on the issue of giving notice to the Union Minister in connection with the ‘legislator’ purchase charges. CM Gehlot had said that Gajendra Singh and Sachin Pilot must have met during the conspiracy to topple the government. Gehlot said in Sikar district that “everyone knows what you did during the conspiracy to bring down the government.  Now you are taking the name of Sachin Pilot and saying that he made a mistake. This proves that you had hatched a conspiracy with them (the Pilot group).”  Union Minister Shekhawat had said in a public meeting in Chomu on the 19th June that Sachin Pilot missed the chance to repeat a Madhya Pradesh-like revolt in Rajasthan.

    On Sunday, UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal, who is close to Gehlot and held the number two position in the government, further heated the controversy over Gehlot’s statement by remarking, “what has the Chief Minister said wrong?  We believe the same, we have seen it ourselves.”

    Experts believe that the Gehlot camp constantly wants to remind that Pilot had tried to topple his own party’s government while being the Deputy Chief Minister and party president and Pilot is also deliberately escaping and not giving any direct reply on it. Next year elections are to take place in the state but it is clear that the efforts of unity among Congress leaders have been scuttled due to the tussle between the two camps.

  • Gehlot gains ‘high stature’ in Congress with Rajya Sabha victory, protests  

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  As the Congress has galvanized protests over questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the centre’s Agnipath scheme, one leader is emerging as the figurehead of these protests — Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

    The frontline role has made Gehlot more visible at the centre stage of national politics of the Congress. Gehlot’s stature has risen in the party in recent years. But it went sky-high as he secured Congress win in three out of four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan recently. This included an embarrassing defeat for BJP-backed media baron Subhash Chandra. After the death of Sonia Gandhi’s political advisor Ahmed Patel and the formation of the rebel G23 group, Gehlot has emerged as one of the strongest supporters of the Gandhi family. 

    The three-time chief minister of Rajasthan has worked with three generations of the Gandhi family. He began under Indira Gandhi and then worked as a minister during Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministership. And over the past two decades, he has been closely linked with the Gandhi family under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership and has an easy equation with both Rahul and Priyanka.

    Last month, Gehlot was the host and main organiser of the Chintan Shivir in Udaipur which was designed  for the Congress brass to chalk out the party’s strategy for the upcoming state elections and the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. On Sunday, Gehlot held a major rally in Jaipur to organise Congress cadres and leaders against the Modi government’s Agneepath scheme.

    “The Prime Minister should understand the sentiments of the youth and withdraw the scheme. The decision was taken without any debate and in a hurry. It is being opposed across the country,” Gehlot told media at the Amar Jawan Jyoti where the party leaders gathered for the protest.

    Taking centre stage in party

    Ashok Gehlot’s stature has risen in the party in recent years. But it went sky-high as he secured Congress win in three out of four Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan recently. This included an embarrassing defeat for BJP-backed media baron Subhash Chandra

  • CBI searches residence of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s brother

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The CBI is conducting searches at the residence of Agrasen Gehlot, brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, in a corruption case, officials said Friday.

    The searches are going on at other locations as well, they said. This comes after the central probe agency registered a new case of corruption.

    More details are awaited.

  • Disgruntled Congress MLAs meet Gehlot, likely to accompany Chief Minister to Udaipur

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: A group of Congress MLAs, who had expressed resentment with the party and government, met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at his residence late on Saturday night and held discussions, party sources said on Sunday.

    Rajendra Gudha, Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Meena, (BSP turned Congress MLAs), Girraj Singh Malinga and Khiladi Lal Bairwa met Gehlot, the sources said. Discussions were held on matters related to the MLAs, the sources said. The sources said these MLAs are likely to go to Udaipur along with the chief minister on Sunday.

    Gehlot is set to visit Udaipur on Sunday to meet his party MLAs and Independents who have been housed in a hotel amid fears of horse-trading ahead of election on four seats of the Rajya Sabha in the state on June 10.

    The chief minister was scheduled to visit Udaipur on Saturday but the tour was postponed. At present, around 90 MLAs, including 11 of the 13 Independents, are lodged in the hotel in Udaipur. The Congress has a total of 108 MLAs, including six BSP legislators who had merged with the party.

    Of the six, only one is present in Udaipur as of now. Some of them had expressed resentment with the Congress and the government, and had stayed back in Jaipur.

    The Congress has fielded three candidates — Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala and Pramod Tiwari, while the BJP has nominated former minister Ghanshyam Tiwari and supported media baron Subhash Chandra who has filed nomination as an Independent.

    Congress leaders claim support of 126 MLAs, including 108 of the party. It requires a total of 123 votes to win three seats.

  • Congress needs to win Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh again before facing 2024 polls: Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the Congress needed to form a government in Madhya Pradesh and also repeat its previous success in his own state and Chhattisgarh before it can face the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

    Addressing the concluding session of a two-day party workshop here, the CM said the Rajasthan government has introduced excellent schemes but there should be proper “marketing” just as the BJP does at the grassroots-level.

    Referring to complaints by some Congress leaders against a few bureaucrats in Rajasthan, he said officials will remain with them as long as they themselves are strong.

    He said the Congress will form the government in Rajasthan again and should also return to power in Chhattisgarh.

    He said the party also needed to be back in power in Madhya Pradesh, which is now run by a BJP government.

    “Only then can we face the 2024 election,” he said at the two-day workshop organised by the state unit of the Congress to discuss the decisions taken at the party’s national-level “Chintan Shivir” in Udaipur last month.

    Speaking a day after former CM Sachin Pilot said the Congress needed to evaluate why it has failed to return to power in Rajasthan in the past, Gehlot suggested that the party now needed to look ahead at the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

    Unlike the BJP the Congress was not “marketing” its achievements at the state-level, he said.

    “Our people are sitting silent. If we do not speak, how will the people get to know.”

    Gehlot said Rahul Gandhi’s remark at the “Chintan Shivir” that the party’s connection with people has broken is an eye-opener.

    “Rahul Gandhi has also said the BJP has sprinkled kerosene across the country. The situation is very alarming. The BJP has put democracy in danger,” he charged.

    He said that Congress faced a crisis during the time of former prime minister Indira Gandhi but the challenge now was different.

    “Today we need to work a hundred times harder,” he said.

    He said the party organisation should be given importance and the feedback on people’s demands and complaints should come to the Congress governments through it.

    On Rajasthan Congress leaders raising questions over the state bureaucracy, the CM said if officers don’t work, it takes just a minute to replace them.

    “They are permanent (employees). The officers are with you only when they feel that you are strong,” he said, adding that they will turn their back on them when they sense that the government is on its way out.

    Recently, Sports Minister Ashok Chandna had expressed anguish over the conduct of CM’s principal secretary Kuldeep Ranka.

    Party MLA Ganesh Ghoghra and some other leaders have also expressed displeasure with the bureaucracy.

  • Rajya Sabha polls: Independent MLAs meet Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Congress candidates

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Ten of 13 independent MLAs in Rajasthan met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections here on Tuesday night.

    Discussions about the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on June 10 took place in the meeting, party sources said.

    State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra and party candidates Mukul Wasnik, Pramod Tiwari and Randeep Singh Surjewal were present on the occasion.

    The elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha in Rajasthan will take place on June 10.

    The Congress has fielded three candidates and the BJP one.

    Backed by the BJP, media baron Subhash Chandra filed his nomination for the elections to the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, a move that could scuttle the Congress chances of winning a third seat from Rajasthan.

    Essel Group chairman Chandra is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana and his term is going to expire on August 1.

    The filing of papers by him as an independent prompted Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to allege that the BJP wants to indulge in horse trading.

    The ruling Congress in Rajasthan with its 108 MLAs in the state Assembly is set to win two of the four seats going to the elections.

    After winning two seats, the Congress will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.

    On the other hand, the BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly and set to win one seat, after which it will be left with 30 surplus votes.

    The Congress is expecting support of independent MLAs and legislators of other parties to win the third seat.